Comparison between Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S

Written by reviewzat -
on 16 Sep, 2013

Main differences and similarities between the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S

Comparison between Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S

Since the Samsung Galaxy S4 launch a few months ago it has been competing with the the older iPhone 5 from Apple. Last week Apple launched the iPhone 5S lead phone and the more colorful and relatively cheaper iPhone 5C. On technical specs one would get the impression that the S4 is way ahead, but the compariosn is not that simple since performance, design and appeal are important and they are not easily reflected in specs. The good thing is that both are very good but expensive phones and it is a pleasure to own any of them. Each seem to have taken a different design and concept that only sales will prove how succesful they are. We will cover the key specifications, capabilities with pros and cons

Design

Samsung continues to push for bigger size phones with its Galaxy S4 as with other devices like its Mega 6.3 and lately the Note 3. This provides bigger displays and space for a bigger battery. Sony and LG have been following the same strategy for now. But as much as there are people that want the big size there are many people that want smaller top end phones that would be easy to carry and move around without hindering mobility. This is the strategy Apple and HTC took with reasonable size and very capable devices. Additionally Apple is designed with very elegant aluminum casing that provides premium quality and elegance while the S4 has a plastic casing.

Here are the dimensions and weight comparisons that are clearly showing that iPhone is smaller, thinner and much lighter.

Galaxy S4

iPhone 5S

Length (mm)

136.9

123.8

Width (mm)

69.8

58.6

Thickness (mm)

7.9

7.6

Weight (grams)

130

112

Performance

The Galaxy S4 model I9500 is available with two processors optimized for best performance. It has a 1.6 GHz quad core processor and another 1.2 GHz quad core processor. Apple’s new A7 1.7 GHz dual core processor powers the iPhone 5S together with an M7 coprocessor. Based on the specifications the S4 would seem to be miles away from the iPhone 5S, but the reality is different from that. With the very efficient operating system the iPhone 5S has outstanding performance in all benchmark tests. Both devices are available in 16, 32, and 64 Gigs memory but only the S4 allows you to add supplementary memory up to 64 Gigs. The S4’s operating system has the most advanced Android version Jellybean 4.2.2 and iPhone 5S uses the latest iOS 7 from Apple. This is probably one of the main differentiators since users are mostly split in terms of appeal between the two operating systems and some have been locked for years in one of them and find it difficult to switch. Great companies are behind each operating system and we will later have a detailed comparison between them.

Display

The S4 screen is not only bigger but it is better with a much higher resolution. It is 5-inch Super AMOLED full HD 1080 by 1920 pixels and hence a full 441 pixel per inch (PPI) and that means beautiful display and colors. On the other side the iPhone 5S display is not full HD and is only 640 by 1136 pixels and hence 306 PPI. This sounds too technical but both are going to provide a great working platform, gaming and browsing experiences. However the S4 will be better since display size is important for work, watching movies, browsing and gaming.

Camera

The S4 camera is 13 megapixels supported by outstanding software with an array of themes and features. Like HTC, Apple dropped out of the megapixels race and is focusing on other factors that impact picture quality. The iPhone 5S camera is 8 megapixels but has bigger pixels capturing in more light. This leads to much better low light images. Also iPhone 5S comes with two LED flashlights, white and amber, that are used automatically to balance color tone when flash is used. So while the Galaxy S4 provides many features, setting controls the iPhone is focused on picture quality with less fuss on the rest. The iPhone 5S is more or less the same like the Galaxy S4 but has a very unique and new capability. Although the camera shoots 30 frames per second while shooting 1080 quality, it is able to shoot 120 frames per second at 720 quality. This feature enables you to play the videos in slow motion.

Additional Unique Capabilities

The S4 had a lot of new applications and capabilities. S-Health is one which helps track your calorie intake, consumption, exercise and with additional devices can connect with the heart monitor and provide sleep analysis. The device also has become very interactive with a lot of improvements in its voice, motion, and visual engagements. Additionally the S4 has an infrared blaster that would work as a remote control for multimedia devices.

Apple again drives breakthrough innovation with the introduction of the new fingerprint technology. The sensor is smartly positioned around the home button, so once you touch home to activate the phone it detects you and opens up without needing to key in codes. We see this as a major innovation and forward step to the increased usage of smartphones in making financial transactions.

Bottom line

The Galaxy S4 is bigger with nicer display that is very good for watching movies, browsing and gaming. It is very fast with loaded features when it comes to its interactivity and its camera. On the other hand the iPhone 5S is smaller with a touch of elegance catering for people that do not want the bigger size. It perfects the basic photography and pioneers with slow-motion video replay and opens the opportunity for fingerprint technology. Price is very important and the expectation is that the iPhone 5S will be considerably more expensive and that would be a big disadvantage. iPhone 5S will hit Egypt and the Middle East markets in December.